Friday, 10 March 2017

A couple of weeks ago I purchased the 'Tea Tree Toner Water' from Lush, and it's been a really great addition to my skin care/beauty collection for a couple of reasons!

I've been using my toner water in two different ways, firstly, as its main design, which is a toner. I've ben spritzing the water on my face when my skin was a little worse for wear and it has been noticeably looking better as time has gone on.

Initially, I wanted to purchase the rose water to use for my makeup sponges, however as it contains lavender I couldn't buy it due to my allergy, so I opted for this- and it works a treat.

So to conclude this very short but simple post- I love this toner water and its multi-purpose uses!

Thursday, 9 March 2017

Almost a year ago I wrote a blogpost explaining how my love for the colour pink had recently grown, and that I still wanted to be pretty in pink, even when I'm not wearing it.

Since then the obsession has easily grown more, my love for pink (specifically in tops & lipsticks) has substantially added to my wardrobe/collection and I love it.

I sometimes think pink may wash my fair skin out, however I also love how dainty baby pink is, and I really think that sometimes it can look so chic and girly.

I'd never want a colour to define my personality, simply as colour associations can often mean so many different things- especially in today's society, however, I'd be pretty happy if I only could wear pink the rest of my life...(minus the fact I wouldn't get my red lipstick obviously!)

Wednesday, 8 March 2017

Happy International Woman's
Day! I really believe that today is a day where we as society can spread the
importance of acceptance within the world we live in.

Regarding modern
day Feminism, it seems that there are many people who are still
'confused/ignorant' to what feminism actually is, and really simply, its
equality.

I know for me personally I
never want to be seen as wanting to be stronger than someone that I am
obviously equal with. We are all human and made the same way, which ultimately
means we are all the same. Of course, our traits
and characteristics are what make us who we are as individuals,
and that is how we should all be defined, not by a stereotyped
gender.

Sometimes I simply want to
scream at people that honestly what does it matter the way that somebody
dresses, looks, acts, and specially what does it matter what their gender
is? But unfortunately, there are so many people in the world who still see
women as the inferior gender that it simply breaks my heart.

I feel as if costume and
clothing makes up many issues regarding modern day feminism. 'Slut' is a
word given to those wearing a shorter skirt or a girl who has her boobs
slightly on show, when in actual fact we all know it doesn't mean this at
all.

It pains me seeing people
argue over the costumes female pop stars/musicians choose to wear on stage
because it's all a bit too revealing for their liking or the audience that
isn't necessarily their demographic. I grew up obsessing over girl bands/groups
such as the Sugababes, S Club 7 and Steps, all of which were guilty of the late
90's and early 00's fashion trends which certainly weren't always the most
covered. We need to be realistic- there are so many songs full of
innuendos/clever cover-ups written about sex! I used to willingly sing and
dance about 'touching my bum' courtesy of the Cheeky Girls when I was seven
years old and it hasn't affected me in the slightest.

I will always defend
the choice of costume worn by an artist on stage for numerous reasons,
regardless as to whether I personally like the outfit or not, they clearly like
what they are wearing enough to feel exceptionally confident and proud of the
body that they are parading around in. Frankly, if I had the figure of any of
the strong women who steps on stage I would wear exactly the same 24/7. I really
believe if people took their thoughts/frustrations regarding clothing choices
and sat and read into the bigger issues regarding equality and feminism, then
maybe they wouldn't care so much.

The equal pay
act came into force in 1970, however it isn't expected to be a 'thing' until
2069.

Can you honestly say you
wouldn't be the slightest bit angered if you knew the man who did the exact
same job as you got paid more than you for being a man?

32 Million Girls under the age of 11 are out of education across the world, and a further 98 million are out of secondary education.

This totals to more than 130 million girls not even stepping in a classroom. As much as I rant about the education system and its flaws, I really do think every single person on this planet should be entitled to education, a chance to have their say, and a chance to change the world.

I'm not going to sit and preach
and tell you to be a feminist, however seeing that everyone is equal is all I
ask.

To conclude, if you want to
get your boobs out, get your boobs out, and if you don't, don't frown upon the
others that want to, I mean we all have nipples at the end of the day- what's
the difference? 😉

Tuesday, 7 March 2017

It's safe to say in the past 6-8 months I've fallen in love with nude lip shades, and I'm always on the hunt for new discoveries and combinations.

A couple of weeks ago I finally managed toget my hands on MACs Whirl lip liner. This is a colour I'd been attempting/meaning to get my hands on since I first added Velvet Teddy to my collection all those years ago, and often when I'd remember it existed it would be out of stock.

By chance, the other week it was out of stock in my local store, but in stock online so I grabbed it while I could. I often thought the colour would be a little too dark to consider as 'my lips but better', however after one use I was totally in love, especially when teamed with a lighter pink nude such as Patisserie from MAC, or my personal favourite combination which is Whirl all over the lips and Nars' Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Sex Machine over the top.

Monday, 6 March 2017

A thought that is constantly flowing through my head is 'what if I gave up?' and whilst I never truly mean it, it really is quite funny (for me anyway) to sit and imagine myself doing something other than performing/writing in the future- and it is also a little too uncomfortable if I'm honest.

Anxiety has also well and truly been present over the past few weeks, and it is so hard to fully explain how you feel to people without sounding like a wet blanket. But this month is also different, as I want to be putting myself out there and I'm desperately trying not to be so afraid.

New goal/motto for March (and 2017)- no more hiding in my shell, else I'll never see the sunlight.

Friday, 3 March 2017

Hello everyone! I can't quite believe we are now in March, the year is going so quickly- which can only mean one thing, it's February favourites time!

My favourites this month have primarily been skincare based, but this is solely down to the fact I really want to get my skin to the best it can be, and I'm making a conscious effort to do so. A couple of days ago I spoke about my love for the Origins Clear Improvements Mask (you can read that here), and I've also previously written about the Out of Trouble Mask (read more here). I honestly believe that these two masks are the reason my skin is improving so much. I alternate my uses depending on what I need to target at the specific moment, and I can honestly say that these two masks make me want to try and potentially switch to an all Origins based skincare routine.

The L'oreal Paris Pure Clay Purity Wash was a discovery I had no idea about at the start of the month, however I can't recommend it enough. This product was introduced to my Mum and I from a friend and between the two of us we can't get enough. I wouldn't say I prefer it to my La Roche Posay cleanser down to the fact that the Effaclar Cleanser really helps heal and 'cleanse' my skin, where as I prefer this on days where I am having a pamper, as it feels a little more luxurious and calmer towards my skin.

I have a feeling I've already mentioned the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Eye cream at some point during 2017, and I can assure you all I will continue to do so. I am obsessed with this eye cream, it is so soothing and gentle towards the eyes and I feel like it really is benefitting and looking after my skin that is surrounding my eye. I was lucky enough to get a small travel sample for Christmas, and even though it is pricey, somehow I think I will need to purchase the full size when it runs out, due to how wonderful it is.

I picked up Rimmel's Brow This Way Gel with Argon Oil completely on a whim when Rimmel was on offer in Boots, and I haven't looked back since. Generally, I will use a clear mascara from Collection or Nyx (basically something fairly cheap) to keep my brows in place as that is essentially all it is. This product has simply become my holy grail, when I use this I can see that my brows don't budge at all throughout the day, and the Argon Oil is really helping my brows to grow.

MAC's lipstick in Violetta has been on my wish list since the moment I first started to wonder into MAC and fall in love. I finally plucked up the courage to purchase this colour this month. I know what you're thinking- its just a lipstick. I'm still not 100% sure if purples suit my skin tone, but nonetheless, I adore this colour and will find a way to wear it one way or another!

And finally is the Jo Malone fragrance in Blue Agava and Cacao. This scent is so unique and muted yet equally as long lasting and intense it is beautiful. Cacao is one of the stronger notes, and whilst lots of people may not appeal to smelling similar to chocolate, combined with the Agava I find it slightly masculine, and I really love it. It is nothing like anything else I own, and that is another reason why I love it. Unfortunately it is now discontinues, but I do have a post that is solely dedicated to the perfume which you can read here.

Thursday, 2 March 2017

When Clinique announced there collaboration with Crayola to say I was excited would be an understatement.

However I was certain that I had read somewhere that the range would be exclusive to Selfridges, and with my closest store being 2 hours away and online availability always being limited, I wished away my chances of getting hold of one...until I went to Exeter and innocently checked the counter in Boots.

In all fairness, there were three colours left on the stand, a sheer red, and tangerine/orange and this one, Pink Sherbert, which is a beautiful soft pink-nude, and is perfect for everyday wear.

I have been keeping this pencil crayon in my 'top-up' makeup bag which stays in my bag for college or school when I am in desperate need of touch up throughout the day.

I love the formula, it's so hydrating that I don't need to carry a lip balm around with me, and the colour is perfectly sheer enough to add a pop of colour to my lips whilst still looking natural.

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

The Origins Clear Improvements Mask has been a cult favourite in the beauty world for ages, and I can totally see why. Since October I feel as if I've fully understood what my skin loves when it comes to ingredients and products, and this mask is certainly another new favourite.

Having reacted well to the Out of Trouble mask from Origins, I knew I needed to give this mask a go, given all of its positive reviews online. Avid readers will know combination is the easiest way to describe my skin, along with numerous other factors including sensitivity, dry patches and the good old breakouts.

The main active ingredient in this mask is Charcoal, which is something my skin has never had a major issue with in the past, although I wouldn't it visibly responds to it like Zinc does. However, every single time I've used this mask since purchasing, the moment I have washed it off of my skin, my skin almost looks blurry and dare I say it- 'perfect'. The mask is designed to deeply cleanse and deploy pores, and that is something it certainly does. I won't lie, the morning after I do this mask I wake up with a relatively little breakout, but this is simply down to the mask doing its job. I can honestly say that my breakouts are not even 10% as bad as they were prior to using this mask (and my other skin saviours), and they heal within a day scar free, which is always a bonus!